Mom's Italian Bread Recipe

“I think Mom used to bake at least four of these tender loaves at once, and they never lasted long. She served the bread with every Italian meal. I love it toasted, too.”—Elsie Laurenzo Palmer, Saratoga Springs, NY

Nutritional Facts

Directions

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the sugar, salt and 3 cups flour. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Stir in remaining flour to form a soft dough.

Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down. Turn onto a floured surface; divide in half. Shape each portion into a loaf. Place each loaf seam side down on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°. With a sharp knife, make four shallow slashes across top of each loaf. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.Yield: 2 loaves (12 slices each).

Originally published as Mom's Italian Bread in Taste of Home
December/January 2010, p73

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"This is a fantastic recipe. I don't like to knead dough, so I use a breadmaker to make dough and then resume the directions when I form the loaves. It turns out great, except I do have to paint the loaves so that they brown in the oven."

"I have had such trouble with bread recipes and finding one that was just right. I am done searching. This is the best bread I've ever made and it was so simple. My husband agreed that it was the best I've made to date. It wasn't too dense or too airy. It stayed soft. It had a nice crust. It tasted absolutely incredible and my house smelled amazing!"